Two years ago, the 21-year-old was facing an uncertain future in the game having been released by his hometown club Bolton Wanderers.

He decided to apply for a four-year scholarship at the University of North Carolina to study economics, which he'd do alongside playing football in the hope of earning a move to the MLS.

But just as he was about to go, Liverpool surprisingly offered him a trial.

It was seen at the time as though he would merely make up the numbers in the club's youth teams, but when Phillips actually arrived at the University of North Carolina two years later he did so as part of Liverpool's first-team for their friendly against Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Phillips goes head-to-head with Alexis Sanchez (Image: John Peters)

"We trained at that university as well, so that was weird," Phillips told ESPN FC .

"I met the coaches there and had a chat with them. They were happy to see things had worked out for me.

"It obviously vindicated my decision. It was a risk, but it was a decision [where] there was no choice for me really. It was nice to go back feeling like I'd made the right decision.

"When I was there one of the drawing factors for the uni was that Premier League clubs were using the facilities because they were that good.

Jurgen Klopp gives the defender a grin (Image: REUTERS)

"I went back as a player for one of those clubs. It was just a nice moment for me."